Whenever we talk about farming all we can imagine is farmland outside of the village, and farmers in traditional Dhoti Kurta or saree working on the farm. Have we ever thought that we have a huge “Krushi Bhumi” and India is a “Krushi Pradhan Desh” and we youngsters can surely make it big with our urban farming skills? Well, we didn’t but a young mother did. Shubhashree Santhya a mother who started urban farming to provide clean food to her children is an inspiration to the coming generations.
When the Pandemic hit, another Strome was waiting for her. Her younger son who was just 6 months old, had to undergo heart surgery. It was an extremely painful and challenging time for her. The doctor advised her to provide clean and organic specifically chemical-free food to her children. And that’s how Urban Farmer in her was awakened.
Santhya began growing plants, especially different varieties of medicinal spinach, on the small balcony of her flat in Navi Mumbai. Little did she realize then that it would lead to a complete shift in her life, and lead her to become an entrepreneur.
Parallelly, Santhya also started working on traditional rice varieties and millets she grows in association with organic farmers in the Thanjavur region in Tamil Nadu. She chose the top 10 varieties of traditional food grains, out of which she opted for black rice, red rice, or mapilla samba, and mixed it with a few varieties of millets and pulses in the right proportions into a powder form, which could then be used to make porridge. Branded under “Mud and Mother”, the porridge mix is rich in minerals, antioxidants, calcium, iron, potassium, and carotenoids. It’s also been tested in a lab to ascertain its quality and nutritional content. (Source: Your story)
“Growing our own vegetables has shifted the entire purpose of our life.” She shared. Her children were her motivation to take this big step and today she is a successful entrepreneur. Did you find her story interesting? If yes let us know in the comments below.